Adjustable rail fastener

ABSTRACT

A pair of wedgelike elements are mounted one above the other between a horizontal surface and a rail, with their inclined surfaces abutting each other. One of the wedgelike elements is moved laterally to raise or lower the rail, whereas both elements are moved laterally to cause the rail to move sideways.

United States Patent inventors Webster D. Smith Lomlta; William I. Berks, Manhattan Beach, both 01 Calif. Appl. No. 12,777 Filed Feb. 19, 1970 Patented Nov. 9, 1971 Assignee TRW inc.

Redondo Beach, Calif.

ADJUSTABLE RAIL FASTENER 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 238/281, 238/282 Int. Cl Elllb 9/42, EOlb 9/66 Field of Searcl 238/281, 282, 210, 264

[56] Reierences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,781,251 11/1930 Schwendt et a1 238/281 1,133,895 3/1915 Vallin 238/282 1,361,579 12/1920 Heeter 238/281 1,228,008 5/1917 Faber 238/282 Primary Examiner-Arthur L. La Point Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch Attorneys-Daniel T. Anderson, Jerry A. Dinardo and William B. Leach ABSTRACT: A pair of wedgelike elements are mounted one above the other between a horizontal surface and a rail, with their inclined surfaces abutting each other. One of the wedgelike elements is moved laterally to raise or lower the rail, whereas both elements are moved laterally to cause the rail to move sideways.

PATENTEDNnv 91911 3.618.851

SHEET 1 OF 2 ii? mm Webster D. Smith Willioml Berks INVIiN'IURS 'q- AGENT PATENTEBunv 9 Ian SHEET 2 BF 2 Webster D. Smith William; I. Berks INVENTORS QW QSM AGENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the construction of railway tracks, and more particularly to an adjustable support means for positioning a rail both vertically and laterally on a roadbed.

2. Description of Prior Art High-speed trains presently under consideration will be designed to operate at speeds of 200 miles per hour. At such speeds, the dynamics of wheel to rail dictate a smoothness of track not heretofore required or achieved. To achieve such a high degree of smoothness in the track, it has been proposed to mount the rails on a concrete roadbed instead of using the conventional tie on ballast designs and to position the rails by means of adjustable fasteners. These fasteners will be placed at approximately 30-inch intervals and must be capable of limiting any waviness in the rail to an amplitude of about 0.0078 inches in the -30-inch span. It is necessary that the rail fasteners be capable of adjusting the rail both vertically and laterally within fine tolerances. It is highly desirable thatthe rail fastener provides easy access from above for an automated adjusting machine which rolls along the rails.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, an adjustable rail fastener is provided which easily permits both vertical and lateral adjustment of the rail within fine tolerances. The fastener comprises a base member that includes a lower body portion which is fastened to the roadbed with an upper seat portion for carrying a number of adjusting elements. In a preferred embodiment, the base member can be in the shape of an inverted bowl with the bottom of the bowl serving as the upper seat portion.

A lower wedgelike member has its lower surface resting on the seat portion. The upper surfaces of the lower wedge member are inclined relative to the seat portion. An upper wedge-shaped rail support element rests on lower wedge member with their inclined surfaces abutting each other, the upper surface of the rail support element being parallel with the seat portion and with the lower surfaces of the lower wedge member. A rail can be mounted on the upper surface of the rail support element so that it crosses the upper and lower wedge members.

A releasable fastening means, such as a nutplate and bolts extending through and clamping the base member, lower wedge member and rail support element together and to the rail, completes the assembly.

When the fastening means is loosened, the lower wedgelike member can be moved in either lateral direction relative to the rail support element to cause the rail to raise or lower correspondingly. Also, the lower wedgelike member and the rail support element can be moved together laterally, with the bolts being pennitted to move laterally through slotted holes in the seat portion, thereby causing the rail to likewise move laterally.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. I is a plan view showing a railroad track employing the rail-adjusting means according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a portion of the apparatus of FIG. I in more detail;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing the apparatus of FIGS. 2-4 in more detail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a concrete roadbed 10 with a track comprising a pair of rails 12 running above and along the roadbed w. Along each rail 12 at intervals of about 30 inches, there is placed a support structure M that supports the rail 12 above the roadbed 10.

At the location of each support structure 14 there is fixed in place in the roadbed 10 an oval-shaped, corrugated, metal insert 16, with steel reinforcing rods 18 passing through the insert 16. The support structure 14 includes a base member 20 having the shape of an inverted bowl. The lower body portion of the base member 20 including the rim of the bowl is fixed in the concrete roadbed 10 and concentric within the insert 16. The reinforcing rods 18 lie both above and below the rim of the bowl constituting the base member 20.

The upper flat portions of the base member 20, or the inverted bottom of the bowl, forms a seat 22 that is generally parallel to and spaced above the surface of the roadbed 10. As shown more clearly in FIG. 5, the seat 22 is provided with a pair of slotted holes 24, each of which will receive a bolt 26 from above. Just below each slotted hole 24 there is provided an opening 28 in the sidewall of the base member 20. The openings 28 provide access to install or replace nutplate 32 which clamps against the underside of the seat 22 when the bolts 26 are tightened.

The base member 20 is preferably coated with a resilient plastic 34, such as polyvinyl chloride. The plastic 34 serves as a vibration dampener, as a stress distributor to the concrete, and as corrosion-proof'mg for the base member 20.

The remaining elements of the support structure 14 provide a means for adjusting both the vertical and lateral positions of the rail 12 and for fastening the rail 12 in place after its desired position is determined. These elements include a generally U- shaped lower wedge element 36 having its lower leg surfaces resting on the seat 22 and its upper leg surfaces inclined thereto. The space between the legs of the U-shaped wedge element 36 is sufficient to permit the bolts 26 to pass therethrough. A hollow, wedge-shaped, rail support element 38 has its lower inclined surfaces abutting the inclined leg surfaces of the U-shaped wedge element 36 and its upper horizontal surface parallel with seat 22 and lower leg surfaces of the U-shaped wedge element 36. The configurations of the U-shaped wedge element 36 and of the rail support element 38 are shown more clearly in FIG. 5.

The bottom of the rail 12 rests on top of the rail support element 38, with its edge abutting a stop protuberance 40 or raised portion on the upper surface of the rail support element 38 to limit the sliding motion of the rail 12. Four lips 42 depending from the inclined lower edges of the rail support element 38 overlie the inclined outer edges of the U-shaped wedge element 36 so as to hold the abutting surfaces of the elements 36 and 38 in alignment. A pair of circular bolt holes 44 are provided in the upper surface of the rail support element 38.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rail 12 is clamped to the rail support element 38 by means of dogs 46 and the bolts 26, which pass through the dogs 46, the elements 38 and 36, the seat 22, and screw into the nutplate 32 to fasten the entire assembly of rail 12 and support structure 14 after the desired adjustment is made.

To adjust the position of the rail 12, the bolts 26 are loosened to free the wedge-shaped elements 36 and 38. The U-shaped wedge element 36 is moved laterally in one direction or the other to cause relative sliding motion between the abutting inclined surfaces of the wedge elements 36 and 38. For example, referring to FIG. 3, if the U-shaped wedge element 36 is moved to the left, it will raise the rail support element 38 and the rail 12. Conversely, if the U-shaped wedge element 36 is moved to the right it will lower the rail support element 38 and the rail 12. The length of the legs of the U- shaped wedge element 36 for a given slope will determine the total height of adjustment, whereas the angle of slope will determine how fine a height adjustment can be made. The U shaped wedge element 36 may be made in various heights to accommodate any desired rail height.

When the desired height adjustment is made, the wedge elements 36 and 38 may be lightly tack welded to prevent their relative motion. To make the lateral adjustment, the assembly of elements 36 and 38 and rail 12 is moved across the seat 22 of the base member 20 laterally in either direction along the long axis of the slotted holes 24. The length of the slots determine the amount of lateral adjustment that is available. When the desired lateral adjustment has been made, the bolts 26 are retightened and light welds are made between the U-shaped wedge element 36 and base member 20, and between the dogs 46 and the heads of the bolts 26 to make the fastening support structure 14 vibration-free but easily readjustable by breaking away the welds.

I claim:

1. An adjustable rail fastener, comprising:

a base member in the form of an inverted bowl including a lower body portion for fastening said base member to a roadbed and an upper relatively flat seat portion lying generally parallel to the roadbed;

a U-shaped wedge member having a pair of legs spaced apart in the rail direction and extending laterally of the rail direction;

said legs having their lower surfaces resting on said seat portion and their upper surfaces sloping at an angle to said seat portion and to said roadbed;

a tapered rail support element having a mating lower surface abutting the sloping upper surfaces of said legs of said U-shaped wedge member and an upper surface lying parallel to the lower surfaces of said legs; and

fastening means including a pair of laterally spaced bolts extending vertically through said rail support element, between said legs, and through said seat portion for releasably fastening a rail, said rail support element and said wedge member to said seat portion;

said seat portion being provided with a pair of laterally spaced, laterally elongated slots to accommodate lateral movement of said bolts when said rail, rail support element and wedge member are moved laterally along said seat portion to provide lateral positioning of said rail;

said U-shaped member having its legs spaced apart a sufiicient distance to permit said legs to clear said bolts when said U-shaped wedge member is moved relative to said rail support element and said seat portion and laterally of said rail direction to position said rail vertically.

2. The invention according to claim 1 and further comprising a resilient plastic coating on at least part of the body portion of said base member.

3. The invention according to claim 1 and further comprising nut fastener means located beneath the seat portion of said base member and including threaded female elements securing said bolts through a common coupling.

4. The invention according to claim 3 and further including means forming apertures in the body portion of said base member for providing access to said nut fastener means.

5. The invention according to claim 1 and further including a pair of dogs through which said bolts extend for clamping the rail to said rail support element. 

1. An adjustable rail fastener, comprising: a base member in the form of an inverted bowl including a lower body portion for fastening said base member to a roadbed and an upper relatively flat seat portion lying generally parallel to the roadbed; a U-shaped wedge member having a pair of legs spaced apart in the rail direction and extending laterally of the rail direction; said legs having their lower surfaces resting on said seat portion and their upper surfaces sloping at an angle to said seat portion and to said roadbed; a tapered rail support element having a mating lower surface abutting the sloping upper surfaces of said legs of said Ushaped wedge member and an upper surface lying parallel to the lower surfaces of said legs; and fastening means including a pair of laterally spaced bolts extending vertically through said rail support element, between said legs, and through said seat portion for releasably fastening a rail, said rail support element and said wedge member to said seat portion; said seat portion being provided with a pair of laterally spaced, laterally elongated slots to accommodate lateral movement of said bolts when said rail, rail support element and wedge member are moved laterally along said seat portion to provide lateral positioning of said rail; said U-shaped member having its legs spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit said legs to clear said bolts when said Ushaped wedge member is moved relative to said rail support element and said seat portion and laterally of said rail direction to position said rail vertically.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 and further comprising a resilient plastic coating on at least part of the body portion of said base member.
 3. The invention according to claim 1 and further comprising nut fastener means located beneath the seat portion of said base member and including threaded female elements securing said bolts through a common coupling.
 4. The invention according to claim 3 and further including means forming apertures in the body portion of said base member for providing access to said nut fastener means.
 5. The invention according to claim 1 and further including a pair of dogs through which said bolts extend for clamping the rail to said rail support element. 